Draft-gear.



'HL c. 9mm. MAF-T GEAR. APPUcATmN nui my 19. 1916..

Pai-med oct. 29,1918.

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DRAFT GEAR. I APPLICATION man uLY la. |916.

Patented @en 29,1918.

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gagement with each other and the opposed faces thereof are curvedorca1n-shaped so that each rocker will coact with the other and serve asa resistance therefor to force the rockers to swing in a vertical planeupon coupler movement. The motion resisting mechanism shown includes aspring structure having a pluralitjY of vertically disposed coiledsprings 3l) that. are located above the rockers and whose upper endsbear against a common scat 3l that is secured to the tops of the centersills. The lower ends of these vertical coiled springs 30 are providedwith seats or pockets 32 inthe common spring seat 31.

In accordance with another feature of my invention the springs serve tovcushion the blow of each rocker upon the other when the rockers areinitially brought into action upon. each other at their upper endswhereby breakage and flattening of the upper ends of the rockers areguarded against. One means for carrying this object into ef feet isshown in 'the drawings. To this end .l employ the Spanner 3.3 whichengages heavier portions 34 of the rockers, this spanner serving to keepthe points of therockers out of forceful engagement when the rockers areapproaching one another,` 30

whereby forceful engagement docs not occur between the rockers until themore Solid portions thereof are in engagement. rllhe Spanner alsoco-'acts with the upper portions of the rocher structures to press uponthe spring bed' 32 and against the force of the springs 30 before thefaces of the rockers are brought into effective engagement. Thus thespring mechanism serves to take the initial blows and to relieve thepoints of the `rockers from the force of the initial blows and to reducethe force of the initial engagement of the rockers. The Spannerdesirably also has such interengagement with the rockers that it willprevent the rockers from coming apart in the event of breakage of thegear. This interengagement is desirably effected by bolts 3G that passloosely through the depending ears at the ends of means for resistingthe approach rf either the portions of the rockers engaging these endsand also between thetop faces of this Spanner and the bottom of thespring seat While I have herein 'shown and particularly described thepreferred embodiment of 'f my invention I do not wish to loe-limited tothe precise details of construction shown asv changes may readily bemade without departing from the 'spirit of my' invention, but havingthus described my invention l claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent the following :m

1. A draft gear including a coupler; inner and outer followers actuatedthereby;

follower toward the other; two rockers op erating in conjunction withthe aforesaid means, each follower having a rocker in engagementtherewith and each rocker having1 a curved face for engagement with thecurved face of the other rocker in the operation of the gear; and meansfor reducing the force ofthe initial action of the rockers upon eachother.

2. A draft gear including a coupler; inner yand outer vfollowersactuated thereby; means for resisting the approach of either followertoward the other; two rochers operating in conjunction with theaforesaid means, each follower having- `a rocker in engagementtherewith' and each rocker having a curved` face for engagement with thecurved face of the other roclterin the operan "tion of the gear; andmeans for enabling the tial-action of the rockers upon each other.

the Spanner 33 and the lugs 37 in the upper portions of the rockers.

There is no appreciable frictional engagement between the engagingopposed faces of the rockers, the rochers thus cooperating with thespring mechanism to alford spring resistance to mutual approachingmovements of the followers andwhile the rockers are preferabljY formedand operate in aecordance with nov prior inventions l do not wish to belimited to such an operation ink the practice of my present invention. Isupplement the spring action of the gear by means of the frictionproduced by the rolling action of the rockers upon the large y forwardand rear followers. Friction also occurs bewccn the ends of the. Spanner33 and j 4. A draft gearincluding a coupler; inner and outer followersactuated thereby; spring mechanism for resisting the approach of eitherfollower toward the other: two rockers operating in conjunction with theaforesaid spring mechanism, each follower having a rocker in engagementtherewith and each rocker having a curved face for engagement 4with thecurved face of the other rocker in the operation of the gear; and meansfor enabling the aforesaid spring mechanism to 'reduce the force oftheinitial action of the rocher upon each other.

5. A draltfsar including a coupler; inner andnoutei colawersactuatedthereby; spring mechanism for resisting the approach of eitherfollower`toward the other; two

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rorkerb` ope-rating in oonjnnotlon with the aforesaid ,spring mechanism,nach follower having, a rorkor ln engagement Lllorowth and nach rockerhaving a carved face for ungagexnonl. with the curvod face of the otlrorrocker in the operation of the gear; and a Spanner disposed between saidrockers and operating upon the spring mclmnsm to reduce the force of theinitial action of the rockers upon each other.

. V. A draft guar including a. coupler; nnor and ontor followers actuatdthereby; means Vlor resisting the approach of either follower toward thoother; two rockers 0p- ,ssa

maling ln mnjnncton with thc. aforesaid moans. uaffh follower having' arocker' in o ngagorrlolll, therewith aan nach rocker .llaving a curved'fac-o for: engagement with the carved face of the other rookor in h@opera #Lion of the Gear; and a spannen tying; the, rockers togolher t0secure @hom in as @ml-lyu ln witnes Wherco', lmrenno Su'bsorb@ my namethis fourteenth day of July, A. D., i916.

HERMAN C. E. Witnesses G. L. CRAGG, ETEA L. Nunn

